My Blueberry Nights

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Aficionados of foreign film will know the work of Chinese director Wong Kar Wai, whose "In the Mood for Love" and "2046" were widely acclaimed for their cinematic stylishness and delicate portrayal of relationships.

Now "My Blueberry Nights" (Block 2/Jet Tone/StudioCanal), Wong's English-language debut, tells of Elizabeth, a sensitive young woman with a trusting nature, who's played by singer Norah Jones in her movie bow.

Abandoned by her boyfriend, she finds solace with empathetic New York diner owner Jeremy (Jude Law). (The title refers to the pie on Jeremy's menu, over which he and Elizabeth initially bond.)

There's indeed a subliminal attraction between the two, but Elizabeth feels compelled to leave town without explanation, embarking on a cross-country odyssey of self-discovery. She takes a job as a waitress in Memphis, where she encounters alcoholic cop Arnie (David Straitharn), pining for his estranged wife, Sue Lynne (Rachel Weisz).

Then in Nevada, working at a casino, she meets a hard-edged poker player, Leslie (Natalie Portman, giving the film's standout performance), who convinces Elizabeth to stake her after a big loss.

Through these interactions, Elizabeth acquires greater self-understanding, finding in the others reflections of own emptiness.

The film is poetically shot, in the style of Wong's earlier films, and generally well acted. The photogenic Jones has a fairly passive role, so it's difficult to assess her true acting chops, but she makes a sympathetic protagonist, and sings a compelling song over the credits.

The big-name supporting players are mostly fine, though Weisz's big emotional scene rings false. Portman is outstanding in conveying how her sassy, hard-boiled surface actually masks a touching vulnerability.

In fact, the script (by Wong and Lawrence Block) presents all the characters as fundamentally decent individuals coping with emotional loneliness. Yet for all its virtues, not to mention the interest in seeing how Wong's artistry translates to such a different milieu, the film fails to avoid a sense of artsy pretentiousness, sometimes dragging, particularly in the Arnie/Sue Lynne episode.

The film contains some profanity and a few expletives, a couple of brief violent episodes, smoking and drinking. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops